CLAY AND WATTLES

Memorial Day Weekend

In church this morning our pastor recognized those who'd served in the armed forces and one of our choir members dressed in uniform sang a beautiful patriotic song, accompanied with pictures of our servicemen and women in various theaters of deployment. Two of the ladies in our Sunday School class stood. (I didn't see them stand, but someone in the balcony did, and asked them what branch they served in.) Terri had served in the Army Guard, and Traci (a first-time visitor) had been in the Air Force. We have a flag flying in our yard, as do some of the neighbors. Every time I see someone in uniform, the flag, anything patriotic, I get very emotional. I'm thankful to live in the United States, and thankful for everyone serving our country now and who have in the past. And thank you, Sher, for your service as a Civil Servant!

In a year's time...

Last Memorial Day Weekend all the family was at Mama's. Melanie, Kevin and Nate from Florida. Sher from Texas (she had not moved to MS yet.); Jordan from Tennessee, Paul, Amy and I from TN and Arkansas. Steve and Debbie were there. Mike grilled hamburgers and ribs (I think) and we all ate outside on the picnic table. Oh, yes, that's when the hammock broke with me and Sher in it (Mike was swinging us ever faster and it didn't take much to saw on the ropes holding the hammock to the tree!) and my back side crashed into the ground. Boy was I sore from that. And only 6 months before that I'd broken my tailbone. Hard to forget something like that!

This is the hammock, obviously before it broke!

The House that Papa Built... Mama's daddy built this house and she lived in it when she was around 13 years old. Sher and I think it is just the neatest little cottage on the coziest setting - a sloping hill in front meets the railroad track, and to the left of the slope, across the county road is a pond. Trees hide this idyllic setting from the busy four-lane state highway which runs parallel to the RR track. We take a leisurely sightseeing drive to see this and other places from our youth, about once a year.

This year...

Amy will be here tomorrow and we plan to cook hamburgers and bbq chicken tenders on the grill. It'll be a simpler Memorial Day, but memorable nonetheless. Miles may come between us all, but we love each other and stay in touch by phone, in thought, and in our prayers...